Can't Seal the Deal

It's been such a long weekend, to be 100% honest I don't even really remember what all happened in the game on Friday night. About the only thing I can remember is we won and Nick Punto go put on the disabled list, lol We had a strong start from Pavano with good innings from Matty G and Brian. And I don't care what anyone says the play by Cuddy would have been a home run regardless what would have happened, but that's for a rant that will come at the end of this post, cause I've had enough.

Saturday was a game I thought was never going to end! I'm not sure what Nicky's problem was during that game, but I hope he can figure out whatever it is before his next start which should be on Friday night in Cleveland. I would hate to see him go on the DL, but if there is something wrong with him and they can't figure out what it is perhaps it would be for the best and bring up someone like Manship or even take Duensing out of relief and put him back in as a starter with Manship in the pen. Obviously that will be Gardy and Andy's call and my opinion doesn't mean crap, but I can hope!

I was wondering how many games it would take for Rauch to blow his first save and last night we finally got to see it happen. I realize he did get us out of the jam and did get us the win, but it still doesn't make me a fan. Yes he can pitch, yes he can be good at what he does, but you need a decent personallity to make me like you and Oscar doesn't have it, period. It just makes me miss Joe Nathan even more. Baseball Tonight did a nice piece on Nate that can be seen here.

I thought Kevin seemed a bit off for his start today, but everyone has their off days. Matty G had his the other night and today was Kevin's. It happens, yes it sucks and I wish it wouldn't have happened, but what's done is done and we can't go back and redo the whole game. But this is what I was talking about when I said, the guys must of left their brooms back at the Dome during the move because we seem to have no problem taking the first two games and the series, but we can't seem to seal the deal on that third game to get the sweep.

Now onto my rant and I'm not just bringing this up because of the stuff that happended on Friday night with Cuddy but it does play a big part of this rant. Regardless if they would have replayed that call or not, the ball was out of the park and was a home run for DeJesus, it shouldn't have been ruled an in the park home run. What I'm sick and tired of is people ragging on certain players, but the minute their players get ragged on shit's going to hit the fan. I'll rag on Cuddy, I'll rag on Kevin, I'll rag on every player on the team when they screw up. But you can bet that I will defend them till the end when they get accused of something that was out of their control, ie the play Friday night with Cuddy.

I understand that everyone it entitled to their opinion, but I'm sorry. When game after game after game the same peaple rag on the same player it gets really old and it pisses me off. It just seems to be never ending and it's old. We're all old enough to know to just drop something after the first time, but when it gets drug on and on it makes you look like you are 12 years old. And now that I got that off my chest I will drop this and move onto the next series in Detroit.

No matter what, I still love Cuddy!

Tuesday night we have Frankie (2-0) vs. Justin Verlander (1-1). Enjoy your day off on Monday guys, after the marathon game on Saturday night you guys deserve it!

A Hodge Podge of Crap

Tonight's game was so bad even Gardy couldn't stand to watch it and got himself kicked out. Gardy, I think I should have joined you on that one!

Okay quick little beef with the game, these fucking Umps need glasses. That was the biggest bullshit call I have ever seen in my life. Do these umps have it out for the Twins or something? Do we have a big target over our heads that says "Pick on this team!"

So apparently someone from the front office is listening somewhere because we got the pitching help we needed, at least I think. Apparently he's going to start tomorrow night in place of Papa Perk, which kinda bums me out because it's like they are writing him off, but we've got to squeeze Carl Pavano in the rotation. I don't know much about him, I have to do some research, but we'll see how it does tomorrow night against Verlander. And with us getting a new starter apparently Frankie will finally make his way to the bullpen, at least that's the report that was given during the news. We'll see how accurate they are.

Oh and while I'm on the new pitcher, did they seriously have to give him #48? They couldn't come up with a different number? 48 will always be Torii's number just like 18 will always be Jason's number.

But with that move we had to say goodbye to a pitcher and who did they get rid of? R.A. Seriously? What the fuck are you doing getting rid of a guy that can pitch every game. What does that leave us with? Bobby Keppel who SUCKS! Why the hell couldn't they have sent him to Rochester? Everyone is saying they sent Dickey back because he apparently lost his ability to throw his knuckle ball. I don't think he lost it, I think it's tough for him to throw it because Mauer can't catch it and he's admitted he can't catch it.

Just when you think maybe, maybe the front office is getting shit figured out someone fucks up and screws us over again. I realize that in a month we get extra roster spots, but by that time it's going to be too late to do anything. At this point the guys on the team are already turning against each other and when that happens you might as well forget any chance of making it anywhere for the rest of the season. You've got one player blaming another, one blaming the ump and a coach blaming two of the players (for those that read the article on the Star Trib this morning you know who I'm talking about).

We can't afford anymore injuries. We're already down 3 of our better pitchers, we've got a third basemen that will miss the entire series. Don't get me wrong, I love Crede and think he's a good addition to the team when he can actually play. As much as I would love to see him here next season I think Danny Valencia will be getting the start next season at third base.

Seriously, why is this team always getting fucked over?

One big rant...

Fair warning this post is going to be one long rant broke down into sections... so here we go.

Rant #1: Jim Souhan
He's an ass. Plain and simple. How in your right mind can you say Manny deserves to go to the All Star game when he admitted using drugs? Same goes with A-Rod. They don't deserve to be there. As soon as he started ragging on Kevin, I was ready to deck him. Kevin deserved to go, but I'm sure with him going on the DL it didn't help any. Souhan just annoys me.

Be sure to join the Jim Souhan facebook group: Can Souhan, Hire Phil Miller I would much rather read the articles from Phil then Souhan any day.

Rant #2:
The Yankees over all. I will never liked the Yankees, I made it known in Sunday's post that I hated them and I will always hate them. When we play the Yankees I go in with the attitude we're going to lose so it's not so depressing when we do. But it also makes it a pleasant surprise when we win, which we WILL win tomorrow night because we can and we've done it before. I won't take no for an answer, got it guys?

Positive #1:
My one gem of the game was that wonderful and beautiful catch by GoGo robbing A-Rod of that grand slam. If you missed it or just want to watch it again go here. It's worth watching over and over.


And while we are on that inning, I can not even begin to imagine the pressure that Brian Duensing was under going into that inning with bases loaded and no one out. That inning could have been a lot worse then what it was and I think Brian proved he can handle himself quite well on the mound.

And yes, the Cuddy Skittle count is at three bags (which he might just get tomorrow night).

Tomorrow: Papa Perkins against RHP A.J. Burnett. All I can hope for is a win, because I can't stomach a loss like tonight in person.

*Pictures and tomorrow nights post will come in conjuction with my post about the day game on Thursday since it will be late tomorrow night before I get home and work calls on Thursday early.

Welcome to the Candy Shop!

There is a reason to that picture, but you're going to have to wait until possibly next Wed for the reasoning behind it.

After 3 months for the first time this season we finally, FINALLY, made it to 2 games over .500. That deserves a huge it's about time. This is an over .500 team and it's time they show it to everyone else that wants to doubt them (I'm talking to you Souhan!)

Speaking of Souhan, normally I don't give his column the time of day because it as a rule pisses me off. Today's/Last nights column was no different. When it was discussed this morning on Twitter, I decided I should read it and see what all the fuss was about, well what I found was an article that appeared to be written by a high schooler, not a professional writer (why the Tribune continues to pay him for the crap he writes is beyond me).

According to Souhan, Dickey didn't make the team out of Spring Training. So apparently the guy that was filling in for Scott while he was on the DL was a figment of our imaginations and not who Dick and Bert told us it was. It just kills me that the title of his column is "Stop me if you've heard this one: bullpen needs help". I could have stopped him as soon as he started writing the column because it's all we seem to hear from him this season.

I'll step off my soapbox now.

Onto today's game...

It was nice to have a little more cushion then we did last night, I didn't have to start pacing around my office because I couldn't bear to just sit there and listen. I am also thankful to have instant video on Gameday so I could see Cuddy's home run shortly after it happened (skittles for him!)

I really thought Papa Perk had another strong outing, he kept his pitch count down and went 7 innings. I really like what I'm seeing from him since he came off the DL.


And once we think that we've got a strong starting line-up, we lose 3 today from injuries. Red-Dogs looked painful when they were talking about during the news and even from the picture I can see why he was taken out. Justin went out with a tight left groin muscle. I really, really hope with a couple days rest he'll be ready for the series against the Tigers because I know I was looking forward to seeing him again on Saturday.

And then we have Nick Punto. As much as I love Nicky, I really wonder how long it's going to be before he ends up on the DL again. How much longer Gardy can go with being short an infielder because Nicky's got some sort of injury. I don't wanna see it come to that, but I also want a healthy team.

And did you all know that Nicky can fly?

Tomorrow: Off day! Rest up boys, the Tigers are on their way in, one day at a time. Slow and steady wins the race.

Friday: Kevin against newbie Lucas French.